Alarmed at Rahul Gandhi freely mingling with public while disregarding security concerns during his roadshow in western Uttar Pradesh, the Centre on Sunday said it would advise the young Congress MP to abide by the rulebook for protecting VVIPs.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Sriprakash Jaiswal said he would advise the 37-year-old MP from Amethi, who gave anxious moments to Special Protection Group personnel protecting him during his recent campaign, that he should be careful not to flout security norms.

"When a leader is loved and greeted by public, it is very difficult for him to stay away from the public. But Rahul should be careful... I would advise him to abide by the norms set by SPG," Jaiswal told NDTV.

Rahul, the son of Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who was assassinated by a LTTE suicide bomber during an election campaign meeting in 1991, is guarded by the elite SPG.

On his whirlwind tour of the western part of Uttar Pradesh ahead of assembly polls in New Delhi, Rahul often clambered atop cars and walked along with people at many places. He also stopped at roadside dhabbas and interacted with people, causing concern among the SPG.

Security agencies have earlier expressed apprehensions that exposure of high-profile leaders to unscreened masses was a major security risk.

After a review of the threat perception to the Gandhi family, the security of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul and Priyanka was upgraded in 2006.